Pronunciation: /smɛl/

Definitions of smell

noun a sensation perceived by the olfactory nerves; a distinctive or characteristic odor

Example Sentences

A1 I love the smell of fresh flowers.

A2 The smell of coffee in the morning wakes me up.

B1 The smell of smoke alerted us to the fire in the building.

B2 The smell of the ocean always reminds me of my childhood vacations.

C1 The smell of the bakery on the corner is irresistible.

C2 The smell of her perfume lingered in the room long after she had left.

verb to perceive or detect the odor or scent of something

Example Sentences

A1 I smell the flowers in the garden.

A2 She smells the food before eating it.

B1 The dog smelled the other dog's scent on the trail.

B2 The chef smelled the spices to check if they were fresh.

C1 The detective smelled a rat in the suspect's alibi.

C2 The wine connoisseur smelled the cork to determine the quality of the wine.

Examples of smell in a Sentence

formal The smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the bakery.

informal I love the smell of coffee in the morning.

slang That pizza joint always has the best smell.

figurative The success of the business was in the air, you could smell it.

Grammatical Forms of smell

past tense

smelled

plural

smells

comparative

smellier

superlative

smelliest

present tense

smell

future tense

will smell

perfect tense

have smelled

continuous tense

smelling

singular

smell

positive degree

smell

infinitive

smell

gerund

smelling

participle

smelled

Origin and Evolution of smell

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'smell' originated from the Old English word 'smylten' which means to emit a smell or odor.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'smell' evolved to encompass both the act of perceiving odors through the nose as well as the odors themselves.